Vienna Gene - Blue Eyed Whites - Totally confused

[Rabbits by Accident]

Just discovered that Blue Eyed Whites is a thing ... so I read that great cheat sheet posted by @Lewis and don't understand anything LOL. My actual question is can this rabbit be a blue eyed white? She does have bluish eyes.



or do they have to be 'white' not broken color like she is? I'm assuming it's not a good thing.

Also, do you think her head looks overly large?

Thanks for all help & info

Liz

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

You'll have to take a closer look at it's eyes, it's possible that it just looks blue but is a different color. I have a siamese smoke pearl that looks like he has dark blue eyes but they're actually brown

 

[hotzcatz]

A Blue Eyed White rabbit is exactly that, a blue eyed WHITE rabbit. It's like an albino except with blue eyes instead of the red eyes. If the rabbit carries the Vienna gene but only one copy so it isn't a BEW, it can have white spots on it's nose, face or front feet or white toenails on a colored rabbit.

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

Okay, I think I didn't ask the right question. The subject of the Vienna Gene came up in a discussion of ivermectin. The implication was that the Vienna Gene was a counter indication for using ivermectin (or any other drug?). So my concern is are there health implications of a rabbit carrying the Vienna Gene?

Sorry to make everyone write all these wonderful answers that really weren't what I wanted to know LOL. I don't have rabbits that will be shown as far as I know but, in the future you never know I could get obsessed with lineage.

Liz

 

[Lewis]

I think these threads may answer your question. Two threads and a link to a website

BEW and Vienna Marked Genetics Explained

https://rabbittalk.com/threads/update-vienna-genetics.27168/
http://www.debsrabbittree.com/home/information-on-the-vienna-gene

 

[hotzcatz]

Rabbits with the Vienna gene are supposed to be sensitive to Ivermectin, not that they need more ivermectin than any other rabbit. Some dogs, such as collies are sensitive to certain drugs used to counteract fleas, although I forget which flea medicines they're sensitive to. So, it's that the animals are sensitive to certain medicines, not that they're more in need of medicine, AFAIK.

There was also something early on in the quest for a blue eyed white rabbit that some BEWs weren't as healthy as others, although if I remember it wasn't the vienna gene directly as much as the linebreeding/inbreeding necessary to get the BEWs. BUT, I don't have any BEWs and don't want any BEWs and if I could I'd totally eradicate the Vienna gene out of my herd. Too many mis-marked colored rabbits with white noses or spots on their feet or white toenails and all of that is a DQ on the show table.

 

[eco2pia]

Rabbits with the Vienna gene are supposed to be sensitive to Ivermectin, not that they need more ivermectin than any other rabbit. Some dogs, such as collies are sensitive to certain drugs used to counteract fleas, although I forget which flea medicines they're sensitive to. So, it's that the animals are sensitive to certain medicines, not that they're more in need of medicine, AFAIK.

Collies/Shelties/Australian Shepherds can all carry a similar gene that can make ivermectin deadly to them. They have a neurological response, seizures, etc. The vets in the humane society have a rhyme when treating mutt dogs-- "white feet, don't treat". They use other (older) meds, but not ivermectin. Given the similarities (white areas, ivermectin sensitivity, ability to have blue eyes) I suspect this is a conserved gene or an extremely similar pathway...

To be honest, there is also a "blue" eye in chinchilla rabbits that is more gray than true blue. Given the color of the rabbit pictured in the op by @Rabbits by Accident I suspect that the eye color is not true blue here.

This web site has a number of holland lops with accurate, non-photoshopped blue eyes. Note how light they are. Blue Eyed White Holland Lop Male

In any case, when in doubt skip the ivermectin. There are other options.

 

[MuddyFarms]

Collies/Shelties/Australian Shepherds can all carry a similar gene that can make ivermectin deadly to them. They have a neurological response, seizures, etc. The vets in the humane society have a rhyme when treating mutt dogs-- "white feet, don't treat". They use other (older) meds, but not ivermectin. Given the similarities (white areas, ivermectin sensitivity, ability to have blue eyes) I suspect this is a conserved gene or an extremely similar pathway...

To be honest, there is also a "blue" eye in chinchilla rabbits that is more gray than true blue. Given the color of the rabbit pictured in the op by @Rabbits by Accident I suspect that the eye color is not true blue here.

This web site has a number of holland lops with accurate, non-photoshopped blue eyes. Note how light they are. Blue Eyed White Holland Lop Male

In any case, when in doubt skip the ivermectin. There are other options.

So, how does this apply to broken patterned rabbits? I read a while back that rabbits that have white shouldn't have ivermectin, but haven't been able to find out if that applies to brokens.

 

[ladysown]

Blue eyes can come in a variety of coat colours. I, at one point, was breeding GORGEOUS blue-eyed black mini rex. The blue eyes against the black coat... they were stunning. Did I have the odd white snip and stuff from the vienna gene popping up? for sure, but those solid black coats... lovely.

BUT blue-eyed white as a colour... is ONLY in solid white coats.

They are popularly used in breeding pets as they produce a lot of flash. They are NOT popular with people breeding for show (unless they are specifically breeding for the vienna gene) as the vienna gene complicates coat and eye colours for generations off the pedigree.

Eye colour in bunnies can vary from blue. to a split blue/red, blue/brown, brown etc. Some bunnies have vary odd eye colour and you'd have to read the standards to see if they are acceptable.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I just wanted to add that if anyone is breeding BEWs then you should breed them with Shadeds because if you breed BEWs with other BEWs there is more of a chance for them to be deaf or blind (Learned that at the last rabbit show when we bought Russia)

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

Collies/Shelties/Australian Shepherds can all carry a similar gene that can make ivermectin deadly to them. They have a neurological response, seizures, etc. The vets in the humane society have a rhyme when treating mutt dogs-- "white feet, don't treat". They use other (older) meds, but not ivermectin. Given the similarities (white areas, ivermectin sensitivity, ability to have blue eyes) I suspect this is a conserved gene or an extremely similar pathway...

To be honest, there is also a "blue" eye in chinchilla rabbits that is more gray than true blue. Given the color of the rabbit pictured in the op by @Rabbits by Accident I suspect that the eye color is not true blue here.

This web site has a number of holland lops with accurate, non-photoshopped blue eyes. Note how light they are. Blue Eyed White Holland Lop Male

In any case, when in doubt skip the ivermectin. There are other options.

Fantastic @eco2pia! Just what I wanted to know! You are right, she is not actually blue-eyed I noticed that the other day they are kind of a brownish color. Certainly not like those beautiful blue eyes in the link that you sent. Glad she could take ivermectin if ever needed. I have just discovered ivermectin as the miracle drug that it is. Funny story, a few years ago my husband got rosacea on his face and they gave him a tube of ivermectin cream and I told him well at least you won't get worms, little did I know it also was going to protect him from engineered illmesses

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Fantastic @eco2pia! Just what I wanted to know! You are right, she is not actually blue-eyed I noticed that the other day they are kind of a brownish color. Certainly not like those beautiful blue eyes in the link that you sent. Glad she could take ivermectin if ever needed. I have just discovered ivermectin as the miracle drug that it is. Funny story, a few years ago my husband got rosacea on his face and they gave him a tube of ivermectin cream and I told him well at least you won't get worms, little did I know it also was going to protect him from engineered illmesses

I have a Siamese Smoke Pearl who has dark brown eyes
But I give him cannon blue eyes



HAHA